January 07, 2008 | 03:05 PM

After finishing reading Ms. Starr’s article online, I have to say that what makes someone “local” is the respect you have for the way things are done here (or anywhere else for that matter). I know people who move here and act like we are beneath them because we are not like the mainland.

Conversely, I am encountering an increasing amount of Hawaii-born people who have an elitist attitude as well and look down on their own people for the same reason. There are not a TON of these people, but I do notice them more. That’s why they have an attitude of, “I can’t wait to get off this rock.”

So bottom line, it’s about understanding and respecting what the local culture is built on whether you are from here or not. You don’t see me going to Italy thinking that all Italians are Mafioso.

The old adage still stands… “When in Rome….”

Darren